Several leaked images of the 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus/Pro have shown the iPad Pro's Smart Connector port on its rear case. A new report claims Apple has decided to cancel the feature but the iPhone 7 and its larger sibling will have a new 3D Touch Home button with Touch ID.
Note that Samsung will announce its new flagship Galaxy Note 7 on Aug. 2 and recent reports have suggested the 5.7-inch phablet will also be released on that day. The device will go head to head with Apple's latest iPhone 7s Plus/Pro, which will reportedly be announced alongside the iPhone 7 on Sept. 12 and see a release on Sept. 16.
Recent reports have claimed the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus/Pro will possibly be named iPhone 6se and iPhone 6se Plus/Pro, due to the lack of a significant design change. The company reportedly wants to save the iPhone 7 name for next year's models, which are expected to feature a brand new design and will be the first iPhones to feature Super AMOLED displays. For now, we'll stick with the iPhone 7 moniker when referring to the smartphones.
Although the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus/Pro will not have a significant design update, Apple CEO Tim Cook hinted the devices would still offer features consumers are going to love.
"We've got great innovation in the pipeline. New iPhones that will incentivize you and other people [who] have iPhones today to upgrade to new iPhones," Cook told CNBC's Jim Cramer a while back. "We are going to give you things you can't live without that you just don't know you need today. That has always been the objective of Apple. To do things that really enrich people's lives. That you look back on and you wonder how did I live without this."
When renders of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus/Pro leaked in May, the 5.5-inch model appeared to have a significant feature that its 4.6-inch counterpart lacked. The handset featured Apple's proprietary Smart Connector port that has only been available on the company's iPad Pro models.
A new report now claims that Apple has decided to abandon the Smart Connector port that was slated to play a major role in the iPhone 7 Plus/Pro.
Besides the dual-lens rear camera being an exclusive to the iPhone 7 Plus/Pro, it was widely viewed that the Smart Connector could be its top feature. It would allow accessories to be used with the handset but more importantly would make it possible to have wireless charging capabilities out of the box (using a compatible accessory).
As always, it's best to take these kinds of reports with a grain of salt. We'll keep you posted on any new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus/Pro news. Does the lack of a Smart Connector port have an effect on whether you will purchase an iPhone 7 Plus/Pro? Please let us and our readers know in the comments below.
